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Princes & Paupers: The Art of Jacques Callot
Beck Building, Ground Floor
5601 Main Street
About the exhibition
Jacques Callot, one of the most accomplished printmakers of the 17th century, revolutionized the technique of etching. Princes & Paupers focuses on two poles of Callot’s work: his aristocratic commissions, and his images of the marginalized and impoverished.
An international artist active in both France and Italy, Callot (1592–1635) was a consummate draftsman. His careful observations never fail to amaze viewers. Callot created more than 1,400 prints that reveal his fascination with a broad range of subjects, from the miseries of war to aristocratic pageantry; from saints to beggars; from biblical narratives and theatrical comedies to Gypsies and dwarfs. His prints often developed into series that explore a narrative or variations on a theme. Callot’s etchings, which are consistently imaginative, inventive, and witty, open a window through which to better understand 17th-century Europe.
Accompanying this exhibition is an illustrated catalogue, available through The MFAH Shop.
Entrance to this exhibition is included with your museum admission.
MFAH Members receive free general admission.
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Generous funding is provided by:
The Rand Group
International Fine Print Dealers Association Foundation